I consider myself an optimist. Yet, all around me, there are exhortations to “problem solve” and “fix what’s not working.” Admittedly, it seeps into my psyche; I see what’s lacking more quickly than what’s working. Am I really the optimist I claim to be? That’s why I jumped at the chance to interview Dr. Kathryn…
Leadership
Approachable Leadership — Be a Beacon Not an Island
As a leader, how do you let your team know you are available to them? Sure, you’ve probably said (more times than you can count) “I’m here if you need me.” That’s a good start, but is there a way you could visually send that message? Mr. People Equation sent me a New York Times…
How to Tend Your Company’s Cultural Garden
How much care is taken with your company’s values? Are they simply slogans on a banner in your lunchroom . . . or something deeply embedded in your organizational culture? And what happens when leaders make business decisions that fly in the face of those values? That’s what I write about in this month’s Smartblog…
Office Musical Chairs – The Pros and Cons of Rearranging Who Sits Where
Back in the day, I worked for an office furniture manufacturer. At the time, the open office plan developed by Robert Propst was in full swing. The benefits were many: more collaboration between different departments, increase innovation and a lower cost of capital expenditure. In many aspects, the tweaking of “who sits where” is a…
The Musicality of Leaders and Teams
Have you ever considered that leadership has a musicality to it? My latest Smartblog on Leadership article explores how successful leadership messages contain the three key elements of music. It occurs to me that you could also look at teams through the “musicality” filter. Melody – the key theme for the team; its purpose Harmony…